Stockwinners Market Radar for January 26, 2022 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:39 EST Sellas Life Sciences gets acceptance for first clinical trial of GPS in China - SELLAS Life Sciences "announced that an IND application to initiate the first clinical trial in China for 3D189, also known as SELLAS' galinpepimut-S, or GPS, has been accepted by China's National Medical Products Administration. The IND, for a small Phase I clinical trial investigating safety, was submitted by SELLAS' partner in China, 3D Medicines Inc. 3D Medicines expects to initiate the trial by mid-2022 and will be responsible for all expenses related to executing the trial in China. The approval of the IND by the NMPA will trigger a milestone payment to SELLAS. The current clinical development plan provides for initiation of a Phase II clinical trial following receipt of satisfactory safety data from the Phase I study; the initiation of the Phase II study will also trigger a milestone payment to SELLAS. Total remaining potential milestone payments to SELLAS under the license agreement between the two companies could total $192.5M, not including future royalties."

19:01 EST MPLX announces Whistler pipeline expansion - MPLX LP-owned Whistler Pipeline "announced the expansion of the Whistler pipeline's Midland basin footprint with a new 36-inch lateral extending northwest into Martin County. The Martin County lateral will lengthen the existing 36-inch Midland lateral approximately 35 miles and connect to multiple processing sites in the county. The lateral is scheduled to be in service in the fourth quarter of 2022."

18:55 EST Samsung sees component production boost in 2022 - In 2022, amid expectations of a recovery in global IT demand, the Company's component businesses will increase production of advanced processes and enhance leadership in next-generation products and technology. In the finished product businesses, the Company will strengthen the premium segment lineup and create new user experiences by enhancing connectivity and synergies between devices. However, challenges associated with supply issues and COVID-19 are likely to persist. In 2022, the Memory Business expects server demand to grow, attributed to increase in IT investments and new high-core CPUs, while 5G lineup expansion is likely to increase content-per-box for mobile, although challenges related to supply issues and COVID-19 are likely to persist. Therefore, the Company will continue to reinforce its leadership by expanding supply of high-performance products and increasing application of its industry-leading EUV technology. In 2022, the System LSI Business hopes to see its performance grow further by maximizing supply of 5G SoCs for the volume zone and 108- and 200-megapixel sensors. In 2022, solid demand for OLED is likely to continue despite macro environment-related risks, based on rising penetration of 5G and growth of the foldable market. Samsung will pursue a balanced business structure for stable growth by expanding Flexible OLED to mid-range devices as well as diversifying applications for Rigid OLED including IT, gaming and automotive.

18:53 EST Samsung sees decline in smartphone, tablet demand in Q1 - Looking ahead to the first quarter, demand for smartphones and tablets is forecast to decline quarter-on-quarter amid weak seasonality as well as uncertainties over component supply. However, the MX Business aims to secure solid profitability by expanding flagship sales such as Galaxy S21 FE and upcoming release of a new Galaxy S series. Also, Samsung will proactively target replacement demand with competitive mass-market 5G lineup and growth opportunities in the market while continuing to increase sales of Device Ecosystem products such as PCs, tablets and wearables. In the first quarter, market demand is expected to decrease year-on-year for both TVs and home appliances and high material and logistics costs are expected to persist for home appliances. The Company will continue its focus on premium and lifestyle product sales and improved operational efficiency. The Visual Display Business plans to expand premium product sales with promotional activities such as those associated with regional sporting events. It will also focus on sales of its Lifestyle category, including The Freestyle, a new product announced at CES 2022. The Digital Appliances Business aims to further expand its Bespoke lineup in global markets and enhance online sales.

18:33 EST VR Holdings to acquire National Security Group for $16.35 per share in cash - The National Security Group and VR Insurance Holdings announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement, under which VR Holdings has agreed to acquire all of the outstanding common shares of The National Security Group for $16.35 per share in cash, representing a 77% premium to the closing share price as of January, 25. Total transaction value is approximately $41.4M, subject to certain provisions. VR Holdings is a newly formed Delaware company founded by Vivek Ranadive. Ranadive has been the Founder and Managing Director of Bow Capital Management LLC and its affiliated funds since 2016 and Chairman, CEO and Governor of the Sacramento Kings since 2013. The company's Board of Directors has unanimously approved the transaction and recommended that NSG's shareholders vote in favor of the transaction. The agreement requires approval by holders of the majority of NSG's outstanding common shares. The acquisition is expected to close by the end of the second quarter, subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of certain required regulatory approvals and approval of NSG's shareholders. There are no financing conditions associated with the definitive merger agreement. Following closing, it is anticipated that VR Holdings will continue to leverage the existing operations and infrastructure of NSG's wholly owned property and casualty and life insurance subsidiaries. The company's current CFO, Brian McLeod, will serve as COO of the company's insurance subsidiaries and will also serve as VR Holdings' CFO. NSG remains fully committed to its policyholders and its independent agent partners and expects no immediate changes in its day-to-day business operations. Upon completion of the transaction, NSG will become a private company with the flexibility and capital to accelerate its next stage of growth. McLeod will work closely with the management team including Ross Aron, CEO of VR Holdings, and the investor group to continue the company's expansion.

18:09 EST Pershing Square Capital releases letter to investors regarding Netflix - Pershing Square writes: "Dear Pershing Square Investor, Beginning on Friday and over the last several days, we acquired more than 3.1 million shares of Netflix, making us a top-20 shareholder in the company. The opportunity to acquire Netflix at an attractive valuation emerged when investors reacted negatively to the recent quarter's subscriber growth and management's short-term guidance. Netflix's substantial stock price decline was further exacerbated by recent market volatility. We have greatly admired Netflix both as consumers and as investors, but have never previously owned a stake in the company. Netflix is a primary beneficiary of the growth in streaming and the decline in linear TV driven by its superior customer experience, a vast and diverse amount of superb, constantly refreshed content, global improvements in bandwidth, and the proliferation and continuous improvement and convenience of devices on which one can watch. We began analyzing Netflix in connection with our investment in Universal Music Group, so we were prepared when the stock price declined sharply last Friday. Now with both UMG and Netflix, we are all-in on streaming as we love the business models, the industry contexts, and the management teams leading these remarkable organizations. In order to fund our purchase of Netflix, beginning on Friday and over the last few days, we unwound the substantial majority of our interest rate hedge generating proceeds of $1.25 billion. We retained interest rate swaptions that are currently out-of-the-money, and also purchased some additional longer-dated, out-of-the-money swaptions. The result of all of the above is that the notional size of our interest rate hedge has been reduced by 80%, the term of a substantial portion of the hedge we retain has been extended, and our dollar investment in hedges has been reduced by more than 90%." Reference Link

17:48 EST Nasdaq authorizes $325M accelerated stock repurchase program - Nasdaq has entered into an accelerated stock repurchase agreement with Goldman Sachs to repurchase $325M of the ompany's common stock. The ASR was entered into pursuant to the company's share repurchase program, under which $784M remained available as of January 25. The company will make an initial payment of $325M to Goldman Sachs and will receive an initial delivery of approximately 1,533,923 shares of the company's common stock on January 27. The final settlement of the ASR is expected to be completed in Q1.

17:46 EST Packaging Corp. announces new $1B share repurchase plan - Commenting on reported results, Mark Kowlzan, Chairman and CEO, said, "Demand in our Packaging segment remained very strong, with our corrugated products plants delivering record fourth quarter total shipments and an all-time record shipments per day that exceeded last year's extremely strong fourth quarter. We utilized the capability of both machines at our Jackson, AL mill to produce containerboard for the entire quarter yet inventories, including the additional containerboard inventory from our December acquisition of Advance Packaging, moved lower from the end of September. Throughout the quarter, implementation of our previously announced containerboard and corrugated products price increases was executed extremely well. Although unprecedented inflation in most all of our operating cost categories and freight cost continues, we were able to offset some of this impact by taking advantage of the strong market conditions with great operational execution in both our mills and corrugated products plants as well as from favorable weather patterns helping with our wood and energy costs. Across the company, the commitment and dedication exhibited by our employees to meet our customers' needs while overcoming the difficulties and challenges brought on by on-going labor shortages, now exacerbated by the Omicron variant, supply chain bottlenecks, and logistics constraints has been outstanding. Finally, during the quarter we utilized the remaining $193 million of share repurchase authorization to buyback over 1.4 million shares of our stock at an average price of $133.79 per share. Our board of directors recently approved a new $1 billion repurchase authorization."

17:43 EST NiSource boosts quarterly dividend - The board of NiSource declared a quarterly common stock dividend payment of 23.5c per share, payable February 18 to stockholders of record at the close of business on February 8. This represents an annualized common dividend payment of 94 cents per share, an increase of nearly 7% over the 2021 rate of 88c.

17:29 EST Stanley Black & Decker to restate previously issued financial statements - Stanley Black & Decker announced that it plans to restate its previously issued consolidated financial statements to correct its accounting with respect to its Equity Units in response to comments received from the SEC. After giving effect to this change, the company's diluted GAAP earnings per share is reduced by $0.31, $0.24, and $0.14 for the fiscal years ended January 2, 2021, December 28, 2019 and December 29, 2018, respectively. Excluding acquisition-related and other charges, the company's diluted earnings per share is reduced by $0.36, $0.31 and $0.27 for the fiscal years ended January 2, 2021, December 28, 2019 and December 29, 2018, respectively. This accounting correction was reflected on a prospective basis as previously discussed on Form 8-K and Form 10-Q as filed on November 12, 2021. The changes will not impact the company's historical net earnings and does not affect compliance with the financial covenants contained in the company's outstanding debt instruments or compliance with any other agreement of the company or its subsidiaries. The effects of these changes are detailed in a Current Report on Form 8-K that is also being filed with the SEC. This decision was approved by the company's Audit Committee made in consultation with management and the company's independent registered public accounting firm. The company plans to restate the financial statements as of January 2, 2021 in an amendment to the 2020 Form 10-K and the unaudited interim financial statements as of April 3, 2021, July 3, 2021, and October 2, 2021 in an amendment to the Q3 2021 Form 10-Q, both to be filed with the SEC. Investors should no longer rely upon the company's previously released financial statements for the time periods cited above. Similarly, related press releases, earnings releases, and investor communications describing the company's previously issued financial statements for these periods should no longer be relied upon.

17:26 EST Compass Minerals to replace Great Western in S&P 600 at open on 2/1 - First Interstate BancSystem (FIBK) is acquiring Great Western Bancorp (GWB) in a transaction expected to be completed soon pending final closing conditions. Compass Minerals (CMP) is no longer representative of the mid-cap market space.

17:24 EST Euronet to replace Compass Minerals in S&P 400 at open on 2/1

17:22 EST Watts Water to replace Sterling Bancorp in S&P 400 at open on 2/1 - Webster Financial (WBS) is acquiring Sterling Bancorp (STL) in a transaction expected to be completed soon pending final closing conditions.

17:20 EST Netflix jumps about 5% to $377 after Pershing Square bought shares

17:19 EST L3Harris Technologies awarded $750M Navy contract - L3 Technologies was awarded a $750M firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of multi-channel hand held, or MCHH, radios. The work to be performed provides for MCHH radios, MCHH-vehicle installation kits, or VIKs, and MCHH accessories. The MCHH-VIK consists of the amplifier, antennas, and mounts necessary to integrate the MCHH into a High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle and Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. The MCHH will replace legacy handheld systems that do not meet the National Security Agency 2024 cryptographic modernization mandate. Work will be performed at Rochester, New York, with an expected completion date of January 2032. The maximum dollar value, including the base period and five option years, is $750M. FY22 procurement funds in the amount of $1.13M are being obligated at time of award. Contract funds $1.13M will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a competitively procured via the beta.sam.gov website with two offers solicited and two offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command is the contracting activity.

17:15 EST Pershing Square acquires over 3.1M Netflix shares - Pershing Square's Bill Ackman said the firm purchased more than 3.1M shares of Netflix, making Pershing a top-20 holder in the company. "I have long admired Reed Hastings and the remarkable company he and his team have built," Ackman said. "We are delighted that the market has presented us with this opportunity." Reference Link

17:02 EST Columbia Banking-Umpqua Holdings combination approved by shareholders - Columbia Banking (COLB) and Umpqua Holdings (UMPQ) have received all required shareholder approvals related to the proposed combination between Columbia and Umpqua. Completion of the transaction is subject to remaining regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions set forth in the merger agreement. Columbia and Umpqua anticipate a mid-2022 transaction close, subject to these requirements.

16:51 EST Charles Schwab raises quarterly dividend 11% to 20c from 18c per share - The dividend is payable February 25 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 11.

16:44 EST Nike names Ann Miller as new General Counsel - NIKE announced that Ann Miller, a 14-year Nike veteran with more than two decades of legal experience, will become Executive Vice President & General Counsel, effective February 17, 2022. Miller succeeds Hilary Krane, EVP, CAO & General Counsel, NIKE, Inc., who has decided to retire in February 2022, after 12 years with the company.

16:42 EST Stifel Financial doubles cash dividend to 30c per share - Stifel Financial announced that its board of directors has declared a cash dividend on shares of its common stock of 30c per share, payable March 15 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 1.

16:38 EST HCA Healthcare to build five new hospitals in Texas - HCA Healthcare announced plans to build five new full-service hospitals in Texas to help meet the state's growing need for healthcare services. The new hospitals will be located in the following locations across the state: One new full-service hospital in the Dallas Fort-Worth area; One new full-service hospital in the Houston area; One new full-service hospital in the San Antonio area, in partnership with Methodist Healthcare Ministries, and; Two new full-service hospitals in the Austin area, in partnership with St. David's Foundation and Georgetown Health Foundation. HCA Healthcare currently has 45 hospitals and 632 affiliated sites of care in Texas and serves communities across the state, including Austin, El Paso, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, San Antonio, Houston, Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley. The new facilities will complement HCA Healthcare's already existing presence in several rapidly-growing communities across Texas.

16:37 EST Community Trust names M. Lynn Parrish chairman of the board - Community Trust Bancorp announced that the Board of Directors have unanimously elected M. Lynn Parrish as Chairman of the Board of Community Trust Bancorp, Inc. In addition, Mark A. Gooch, current President, was elected as CEO and Vice Chairman of Community Trust Bancorp, Inc. and Chairman and CEO of Community Trust Bank, Inc. and Chairman of Community Trust and Investment Company; Richard W. "Rick" Newsom was elected President and member of the Board of Directors of Community Trust Bank, Inc.; David Tackett was elected Executive Vice President of Community Trust Bancorp, Inc. and President of the Eastern Region of Community Trust Bank, Inc.; Wayne Hancock was elected Secretary of Community Trust Bancorp, Inc.; and John "JR" Caldwell was elected Market President of Community Trust Bank, Inc. for Floyd, Johnson, and Knott Counties replacing Mr. Tackett. All of the above officer elections are effective on February 7, 2022, the date of the retirement of the current Chairman and CEO, Jean R. Hale, as previously announced in July 2021. These elections are representative of CTBI's attention to strong succession management.

16:34 EST Atara enters strategic manufacturing partnership with Fujifilm - Atara Biotherapeutics (ATRA) announced that it has entered into a long term strategic agreement with FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, a subsidiary of FUJIFILM Corporation (FUJIY) under which Fujifilm will acquire Atara's T-Cell Operations and Manufacturing facility in Thousand Oaks, California for $100M upfront, retaining current manufacturing and quality staff at the site. The parties will also enter a long-term supply agreement, which could extend to ten years. Following completion of the transaction, FDB, a leading contract development and manufacturing organization in advanced therapies, will provide Atara with access to the flexible capacity and specific capability needed to manufacture clinical and commercial-stage allogeneic cell therapies for its maturing and promising pipeline, including tabelecleucel, under regulatory review in Europe for EBV+ PTLD, ATA188 for multiple sclerosis, and allogeneic CAR T therapies, ATA3271 and ATA3219. FDB will also expand use of the Thousand Oaks site and leverage its talented staff to manufacture a broader portfolio of cell therapies. Atara will retain its expertise, staff, and capabilities in manufacturing process science to continue to innovate in initial manufacturing and scale up for allogeneic cell therapies. "FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies is a highly respected, quality-focused, industry-leading manufacturing and development organization that shares our pioneering culture and belief that allogeneic cell therapies will transform the future of medicine," said Pascal Touchon, President and CEO of Atara. "We are incredibly proud of our world-class ATOM staff and facility and believe that this strategic partnership will meet our long-term manufacturing needs. Our team has developed processes for our products, scaled them up, and built inventory for clinical trials and the potential commercial launch of tab-cel. We believe that now is the right time for a strategic relationship with FDB to provide us with expert manufacturing capabilities, as needed. Accordingly, we will further focus capital resources on the development and commercialization of our pipeline of potentially transformative therapeutics for serious diseases." The agreement is expected to reduce Atara's planned operating expenses over the multiyear period. Upon closing, the upfront consideration, along with the reduction in operating expenses, in addition to Atara's existing cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments is expected to fund Atara's planned operations into Q4 2023, beyond the anticipated completion of the randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study of ATA188, the Company's investigational off-the-shelf T-cell candidate that has the potential to reverse disability in progressive multiple sclerosis.

16:31 EST United Rentals announces new $1B share buyback program - On January 25, 2022, United Rentals authorized a new $1B share repurchase program which is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2022. The company intends to complete the new share repurchase program in 2022. The new program replaces the prior $500M program, which was paused in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and under which the company had $243M of remaining authorization.

16:29 EST Flex jumps 6% to $16.76 after Q3 results, FY22 guidance top estimates

16:25 EST Plexus reports Q1 EPS 82c, consensus $1.12 - Reports Q1 revenue $817.5M, consensus $841M. Todd Kelsey, CEO, commented, "Fiscal first quarter revenue of $817 million and GAAP diluted EPS of $0.82 were consistent with our preliminary results issued on January 18, 2022, which reflected the impact from unanticipated supply chain constraints in the Americas region that worsened in the final weeks of the quarter." Mr. Kelsey continued, "Strong manufacturing program win performance, a multi-year high in the value of engineering wins and expansion of an already robust funnel of qualified manufacturing opportunities represented notable successes in the fiscal first quarter. Our trailing four-quarter new manufacturing program wins expanded 7% year over year to a record of $1.1B. Additionally, our funnel of qualified manufacturing opportunities reached an all-time high of $3.3 billion. The significant quantity of new engineering engagements, expansion in our funnel of manufacturing opportunities and acceleration in our win rate positions us to sustain our program wins momentum and supports our long-term revenue growth goal." Mr. Kelsey further commented, "We are guiding fiscal second quarter revenue of $820 to $860 million, which reflects the supply chain constraints that are again limiting our ability to meet robust customer demand. In addition, profitability will remain pressured given the operating infrastructure in place to support the strong customer forecasts and a seasonal increase in compensation costs. As such, we are guiding GAAP operating margin of 3.6% to 4.0% and GAAP EPS 76c-92c."

16:20 EST Ball Corp. approves governance changes - Following a review of the company's governance profile, the Board has amended the company's bylaws (1) to opt out of the classified board structure required by the Indiana Business Corporation Law, (2) to permit shareholders to amend the bylaws, and (3) to increase the retirement age for directors to 75 years of age from 72 years of age. In line with these changes, the Board intends to recommend the company's shareholders approve amendments to the company's articles of incorporation to declassify the Board and to expressly permit shareholders to amend the bylaws at the company's 2022 shareholders' meeting.

16:20 EST Nanobiotix's new preclinical immunotherapy data showcasing potential of NBTXR3 - The company states: "NANOBIOTIX announced the publication of new preclinical immunotherapy data for novel, potentially solid tumor- and therapeutic combination-agnostic radioenhancer NBTXR3 in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology. The Nanobiotix preclinical program aims both to provide a deeper understanding of the NBTXR3 mechanism of action and to discover new pathways for the radioenhancer to potentially improve treatment outcomes for patients. Given preclinical and early clinical data suggesting a potential immune priming effect triggered by radiotherapy (RT)-activated NBTXR3 and the medical unmet need for patients with primary or secondary resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors, Nanobiotix and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are exploring several therapeutic combinations involving checkpoint inhibitors, radiotherapy, and NBTXR3. Following previously reported positive preclinical data on the addition of NBTXR3 to a combination of radiotherapy and anti-PD-1 in anti-PD-1 sensitive and resistant lung cancer models, this evaluation investigated the addition of NBTXR3 to a combination of radiotherapy, anti-PD-1, and anti-CTLA-4 in an anti-PD-1 resistant model. Mice were inoculated with metastatic lung cancer cells in their right (primary tumor) and left (secondary tumor) legs. They were then treated with various combinations of anti-PD-1, anti-CTLA-4, NBTXR3, and radiotherapy in an effort to isolate the effect of adding NBTXR3, modifying the RT protocol, or both. Mice surviving after 178 days were rechallenged with tumor cells and monitored for tumor growth. The evaluation showed that both modifications to RT protocol and the addition of NBTXR3 improved outcomes of combination therapy, and that the cohorts in which NBTXR3 was included in the regimen outperformed all others."

16:17 EST OFG Bancorp announces $100M share buyback - OFG Bancorp announced its Board of Directors approved a new stock repurchase authorization plan of $100 million as part of OFG's capital actions in 2022.

16:17 EST ServiceNow names CJ Desai COO - ServiceNow announced leadership promotions taking effect in its global executive team. The executive leadership promotions include: Chief Product and Engineering Officer Chirantan "CJ" Desai has been promoted to chief operating officer. As COO, Desai will now be responsible for industries and solution sales in addition to product, design, and engineering, and will help accelerate ServiceNow's focus on industry solutions while driving continued platform leadership. Chief Revenue Officer Kevin Haverty has been promoted to a new strategic role as senior advisor to the CEO. Haverty will work to expand ServiceNow's footprint in the public sector and mentor early-in-career professionals across the company, a key talent group for ServiceNow. President of EMEA Paul Smith has been promoted to chief commercial officer. Smith will oversee all regional sales teams, as well as sales enablement and sales operations. He will work closely with Haverty to ensure a smooth transition. In addition, on Feb. 1, 2022, ServiceNow will welcome former Salesforce and Coca-Cola executive Ulrik Nehammer as our new president of EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa).

16:15 EST FNCB Bancorp increases quarterly dividend 25% to 7.5c per share - The board of directors of FNCB Bancorp declared a dividend of 7.5c per share for Q1, an increase of 1.5c per share, or 25%, from 6c per share declared for Q1 of 2021. The Q1 dividend is payable on March 15 to shareholders of record as of March 1.

16:13 EST Whirlpool expects to return $1.5B in cash to shareholders in 2022 - "We delivered record results for the fourth consecutive year, demonstrating our ability to execute in any challenging environment," said Marc Bitzer, chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corporation. "We expect another year of record performance, while increasing organic growth investments and returning another approximately $1.5 billion in cash to shareholders."

16:12 EST OFG Bancorp raises quarterly dividend by 25% to 15c per share - The dividend is payable April 18, 2022, to holders of record at March 31, 2022, with an ex-dividend date of March 30, 2022.

16:08 EST Tesla down 4% following Q4 earnings report - Tesla shares are down $38.47, or 4%, to $898.94 in after-hours trading following the company's Q4 report.

16:07 EST Whirlpool sees FY22 cash from operating activities $2.2B, free cash flow $1.5B - Sees tax rate 24%-26%.

16:04 EST Intel CEO says delivered best quarterly revenue in company's history - "Q4 represented a great finish to a great year. We exceeded top-line quarterly guidance by over $1B and delivered the best quarterly and full-year revenue in the company's history," said Pat Gelsinger, Intel CEO. "Our disciplined focus on execution across technology development, manufacturing, and our traditional and emerging businesses is reflected in our results. We remain committed to driving long-term, sustainable growth as we relentlessly execute our IDM 2.0 strategy."

16:04 EST Vertex Pharmaceuticals sees FY22 product revenue $8.4B-$8.6B, consensus $8.22B - Sees FY22 R&D and SG&A expense of $2.70B-$2.75B vs. $2.33B in FY21.

16:04 EST Galapagos appoints Paul Stoffels as CEO - Galapagos (GLPG) announced the appointment of Paul Stoffels as CEO, effective April 1. Previously, Stoffels was vice chairman of the executive committee and chief scientific officer of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), where he spearheaded the company's research and product pipeline to set the company wide innovation agenda, discovering and developing healthcare solutions, including the recent development of a single-shot COVID-19 vaccine within a record time frame.

15:27 EST Telecom Italia says CEO given mandate to explore strategic options - TIMannounced thatthe board of directorsmet today under the chairmanship of Salvatore Rossi. "During the meeting TIM CEO Pietro Labriola presented the guidelines of the 2022-2024 industrial plan, which he will submit to the Board on March 2. The CEO highlighted the need to pursue a transformation process of the offering and services for the consumer segment; and to focus on the enterprise services such as Cloud, IoT, and Cybersecurity, leveraging the Group's expertise and deep technological know-how, as well as the control of operating costs and operating profits. Furthermore, the CEO underscored the need to guarantee a stable, long-lasting growth outlook for the network infrastructure, in the interest of all stakeholders. In this context, the Board unanimously agreed to give the CEO a mandate to explore strategic options to maximize shareholder value, with specific reference to the Group's infrastructure assets, including solutions that go beyond vertical integration. The Board acknowledged that the ad-hoc Committee, appointed to analyse the indicative and non-binding expression of interest sent by KKR & Co., is continuing to work with the Committee's financial advisers to analyze the expression of interest and compare it with the Group's outlook and strategic alternatives that will be considered under the plan," the company stated. Reference Link

14:36 EST Privia Health launches three new accountable care organizations - Privia Health Group announced it has launched three new Accountable Care Organizations in Maryland, Florida and Tennessee, each of which are participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. This expands the total number of Privia-owned ACOs to seven, including its existing ACOs in Georgia, Gulf Coast Texas, North Texas and Virginia. Effective January 1, 2022, the Privia ACOs will now include more than 1,900 independent providers delivering high-value, cost-efficient care to over 168,000 Medicare beneficiaries, with four of the seven ACOs now participating in the MSSP Enhanced Track with substantial, potential upside and downside financial risk, up from one ACO in the 2021 performance year. "As Privia Health continues to transform the healthcare delivery experience for patients and providers, we are proud to be launching new ACOs and continuing our relationship with CMS and the MSSP program," said Privia Health CEO Shawn Morris. "We remain focused on executing on our deliberate, long-term plan to build scaled provider networks nationwide and enable our providers to transition profitably to increased risk in value-based programs over time. "Our physician and provider partners participate in more than 80 value-based arrangements that range from upside to fully capitated downside financial risk. Our proprietary Privia platform, combined with our physician-led organizational structure, provides the tools, technology and expertise to optimize practice operations and enable physicians to spend more time to care for their patients," Morris added. "Our historical MSSP performance to date highlights our continued success in reducing unnecessary costs, achieving better outcomes and improving patient health. We expect our accomplishments in MSSP and our years of experience in managing and underwriting risk will help drive continuing success as we move toward." In 2020, the most recent performance year, Privia Quality Network achieved aggregate shared savings of $86.5 million through the MSSP. Other notable 2020 performance highlights across Privia Quality Network can be found here. Since Privia Quality Network started participating in MSSP in 2014, Privia Quality Network has delivered total shared savings across government programs and commercial payers of more than $576 million, including more than $281 million through participation in the MSSP.

13:43 EST Crypto-levered stocks trading higher as Bitcoin extends rebound - Several cryptocurrency-levered stocks are trading higher as Bitcoin extends its rebound after having fallen to its lowest level since July over the past weekend. In Wednesday afternoon trading, with Bitcoin up about 1% on a 24-hour basis to $37,792.30 according to data from TradeBlock, Coinbase (COIN) shares are up about 5% to $194.24, Marathon Digital (MARA) shares are up 3% to $22.83, Riot Blockchain (RIOT) shares are up 5% to $15.39 and MicroStrategy (MSTR) shares are up 4% to $380.63.

13:17 EST Washington AG Ferguson says Amazon to stop 'Sold by Amazon' program - Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that, as a result of his office's price-fixing investigation, Amazon will shut down the "Sold by Amazon" program nationwide. The Attorney General's Office simultaneously filed a lawsuit and a legally binding resolution in King County Superior Court. As part of the legally enforceable consent decree, Amazon must stop the "Sold by Amazon" program nationwide and provide the Attorney General's Office with annual updates on its compliance with antitrust laws. In addition, Amazon will pay $2.25 million to the Attorney General's Office, which will be used to support the Attorney General's antitrust enforcement, which does receive general fund support, the AG's office stated in a press release. Reference Link

12:42 EST Ford, JMC announce passenger vehicle joint venture in China - Ford Motor and Jiangling Motors Corporation, or JMC, announced the establishment of Jiangling Ford Automobile Technology, a new 49:51 joint venture to "accelerate growth of Ford's passenger vehicle business in China offered via a distribution network built around always-on experience for customers in China." Ford said: "The new joint venture further strengthens collaboration between Ford and JMC as progress is made to accelerate implementation of Ford's China 2.0 business transformation plan. JMC Ford Technology will integrate both partners' resources and upgrade the existing distribution channel to offer customers in China a strong lineup of Ford brand passenger vehicles manufactured by JMC, delivered through a customer-centered always-on experience... JMC Ford Technology will offer customers a product portfolio of passenger vehicles including the all-new Ford Equator Sport, whose order bank was opened in early January... Equator Sport joins Ford Territory, Equator, Everest and Tourneo in JMC Ford Technology's passenger vehicle lineup that is offered via the Ford Family Space sales channel, a network of 181 showrooms in major Chinese metropolitan markets." Reference Link

12:38 EST Toyota recalls roughly 42,000 Venza hybrid vehicles in U.S. - Toyota said it is conducting a noncompliance recall involving certain model year 2021 Venza hybrid vehicles in the U.S. Approximately 42,000 vehicles are involved in this recall. The rear turn signal lamp bulbs in the involved vehicles can temporarily become dim or deactivate after exposure to conditions such as heavy rain or car washing that causes condensation to form in the rear turn signal lamp. This condition may not meet certain Federal safety requirements and may cause drivers in following vehicles to not know that the turn signal or the hazard lights have been activated, leading to an increased risk of a crash. For all involved vehicles, Toyota dealers will replace both rear turn signal LED bulbs with improved ones, and if necessary, replace the rear turn signal lamp assembly to fit with the improved bulb at no cost to customers. Owners of involved vehicles will be notified by late March 2022. Reference Link

12:30 EST Deutsche Bank announces EUR 300M buyback, EUR 0.20 dividend - The Management Board of Deutsche Bank has decided to initiate a share repurchase program of 300M euros to be completed in the first half of 2022. All required regulatory approvals have been received. The board also intends to propose a cash dividend of 0.20 euro per share for the financial year 2021. "Together, these actions would provide a total capital distribution to shareholders of approximately 700 million euros and represent the first step towards a previously announced commitment to return 5 billion euros of capital to shareholders over time," the bank said in a statement.

12:02 EST Ford reports orders for 10,000 E-Transit vans, including 1,100 from Walmart - Ford Pro, the global business and brand within Ford (F), announced that it is introducing Ford Pro Intelligence, "a cloud-based platform that powers a suite of digital services that supports a commercial customer's total fleet operation." Ford Pro Intelligence will integrate Salesforce (CRM), which the company said "will transform the way commercial customers work, with always on access to the Ford Pro services they need to increase productivity and focus on their customers." In the same press release, Ford said: "Demand for the electrified version of America's best-selling van, 2022 E-Transit has been strong with more than 300 customers placing orders for more than ordering 10,000 vans. Businesses of all sizes ordered E-Transit, from one-man van operations to municipalities including the City of Orlando to some of the nation's largest service providers and retailers like Walmart, which ordered more than 1,100 vans...E-Transit is one of two all-electric work vehicles available from Ford Pro this year. F-150 Lightning Pro arrives this spring." Reference Link

12:01 EST UBS agrees to acquire Wealthfront in all-cash deal valued at $1.4B - UBS and Wealthfront, an automated wealth management provider, signed an agreement whereby UBS would acquire Wealthfront in an all-cash transaction valued at $1.4B. Through this acquisition, UBS will accelerate its growth ambitions in the US, broaden the firm's reach among affluent investors and expand its distribution and capabilities, UBS said in a statement. Wealthfront will become a wholly owned subsidiary of UBS and will operate as a business within UBS Global Wealth Management Americas. The transaction is currently expected to close in the second half of 2022, subject to closing conditions including regulatory approvals.

12:00 EST Gatos Silver falls -69.1% - Gatos Silver is down -69.1%, or -$7.04 to $3.15.

12:00 EST VIA Optronics rises 14.8% - VIA Optronics is up 14.8%, or $1.20 to $9.29.

11:50 EST Independent Bank increases quarterly dividend 5.6% to 38c per share - Independent Bank Group announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend in the amount of 38c per share of common stock. The dividend will be payable on February 17, 2022 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 10, 2022. The dividend is an increase of 2c, or 5.6%, from the previous quarterly dividend of 36c per share.

11:23 EST Boeing prioritizing balanace sheet over designing all-new jet

11:05 EST Ameren Transmission receives final approval to construct Limestone Ridge Project - Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois received approval from the Missouri Public Service Commission to proceed with the construction of the Limestone Ridge Project, a 15-mile, 138,000-volt transmission line and substation to be built in southeast Missouri. The PSC granted ATXI a certificate of convenience and necessity for the project, which will connect two substations in Perry and Cape Girardeau counties, providing additional capacity for the region's energy infrastructure. ATXI will construct, operate and maintain the new transmission line. The route will run through Perry and Cape Girardeau counties in Missouri and will include the construction of state-of-the-art substations to improve energy reliability for local communities. ATXI is collaborating with Wabash Valley Power Alliance to co-locate 65% of the new transmission line along WVPA's existing rights of way. ATXI expects to invest $40 million in the Limestone Ridge Project. Construction of the project is planned to begin this year with a proposed in-service date of December 2023.

11:03 EST 22nd Century announces first production of VLN Cigarettes for retail sale - 22nd Century Group announced production of the first cartons of VLN(R) King and VLN(R) Menthol King Cigarettes destined for retail sale as part of the Company's pilot program. "We are incredibly excited to hit this milestone moment as the first cartons of VLN that will be sold to adult smokers rolled off the line at our North Carolina manufacturing facility," said James Mish, CEO. "We are eager to get this disruptive new product into the hands of adult smokers looking to change their relationship with highly-addictive nicotine products. Since receiving the first and only FDA MRTP designation for a combustible cigarette on December 23, we have moved swiftly to prepare the launch of our VLN 95% reduced nicotine content cigarettes. Among the many activities to date, our first market has been confirmed, our initial retail partner selected and the packaging updated to reflect the FDA's added claim of 'Helps You Smoke Less.'"

11:00 EST Boeing sees Q1 as lowest quarter of 2022 for revenue, earnings, cash flow

10:52 EST Brighthouse Financial, Teck called out as 'winners' by Greenlight - David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital called out "five significant winners" for the partnerships in the firm's fourth quarter letter to investors, including Brighthouse Financial (BHF), which gained 15%, and Green Brick (GRBK), which advanced 48%, and Teck Resources (TECK), which gained 16% during the quarter and 59% for the year. On Brighthouse, Einhorn's firm said it expects the company to retire "another double-digit percentage of the float in 2022." On Teck, Greenlight said it believes management is evaluating the possibility of splitting the met coal business from the "green metals" business, which could "unlock substantial shareholder value."

10:48 EST FuboTV, AerCap among Greenlight exits in Q4 - David Einhorn's Greenlight Capital reported in its quarterly letter dated today some of the firm's positions exited in the fourth quarter, including FuboTV (FUBO), AerCap (AER) and Countryside Properties (CSPLF). The firm made a 9% compounded return after seven years in AerCap "with above-average angst," the letter noted. Greenlight noted that it had invested in FuboTV prior to its public listing in 2020 and after having trimmed its holdings "a number of times" as the shares did well following the offering the firm "had an excellent compounded return" through its final exit in the fourth quarter.

10:44 EST Boeing sees free cash flow 'materially' improving in 2022-2023 - Sees financial performance improving in 2H22.

10:43 EST Greenlight sees 'substantial upside' for Capri Holdings - David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital called out the partnership having added to or initiated several long positions in the firm's fourth quarter letter to investors, including Capri Holdings, where he believes there is "substantial upside." Capri will generate about 10% of its current market capitalization in cash this year and has recently announced a share buyback program that equates to 11% of the float, Einhorn's firm stated in its quarterly letter. Greenlight began acquiring shares in February and added in May and December to make it a "medium-sized position" with an average entry price of $55.86, Greenlight's letter indicates.

10:40 EST Boeing CEO: $3.5B 787 charge 'very unfortunate'

10:35 EST Boeing CEO Calhoun 'quite proud of where we are' with 737 MAX return to service

10:34 EST Boeing: 'No doubt' omicron has paused industry recovery - At the same time, Boeing says omicron has not changed outlook for industry recovery, may be delayed a few more months. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

10:28 EST Sports Entertainment Acquisition holders approve merger with Super Group - Sports Entertainment Acquisition (SEAH), a special purpose acquisition company, announced that its shareholders voted to approve its proposed business combination with SGHC Limited. Super Group has waived the minimum cash condition to be satisfied at the closing of the combination, and Sports Entertainment expects all closing conditions to be met. The transaction is expected to generate approximately $202.4M from SEAH trust proceeds, reflecting approximately 45% of the publicly held shares that were not submitted for redemption. The closing of the Business Combination is expected to occur Thursday, January 27. Following closing, the combined company will be known as "Super Group (SGHC) Limited," and on Friday, January 28, its ordinary shares and public warrants are expected to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols "SGHC" and "SGHC WS," respectively.

10:19 EST Freeport McMoRan says built strong foundation for the future - Says electrification is the key to climate change. Says electric vehicles use up to four times more copper. Says sees new era of copper demand. Sees long-term positive outlook for copper. Says seeing increasing scarcity in supply when demand is growing so significantly. Says focused on long-term outlook for markets. Says has assets within company to sustain operations over time.

10:11 EST Freeport McMoRan says looking to future with optimism, excitment - Says generated strong cash flow during Q4. Says balance sheet is strong. Says met a series of multiyear complex challenges with great success. Says reached a point where debt is de minimis. Says has the way forward to increase mining rates. Says relationship with Indonesian government is one of cooperation. Says advanced climate initiatives. Comments taken from Q4 conference call.

10:00 EST ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Natural Gas falls -11.4% - ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Natural Gas is down -11.4%, or -$5.45 to $42.40.

10:00 EST Gelesis rises 9.8% - Gelesis is up 9.8%, or 55c to $6.14.

10:00 EST Stride rises 29.5% - Stride is up 29.5%, or $7.96 to $34.96.

09:56 EST Abbott says FreeStyle Libre 'underpenetrated,' still in early innings of growth - Sees more potential in international market for Libre expansion. Sees launch of wearable products ex-U.S. later this year. Says wearable market has potential to be larger than diabetes. Says "absolutely expects" Covid testing after Q1.

09:47 EST ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Natural Gas falls -11.5% - ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Natural Gas is down -11.5%, or -$5.50 to $42.35.

09:47 EST Rockley Photonics rises 10.8% - Rockley Photonics is up 10.8%, or 32c to $3.27.

09:47 EST Stride rises 27.0% - Stride is up 27.0%, or $7.28 to $34.28.

09:35 EST Walmart-backed Hazel to operate under ONE brand after Even and ONE deals - Hazel, the independent fintech launched in partnership with Walmart and investment firm Ribbit Capital, announced that it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire fintech platforms Even and ONE, "marking the startup's emergence from stealth mode." The transactions, which are expected to close in the first half of 2022 pending approvals, "equip the combined business with immediate momentum in its strategy to deliver a single financial services app that empowers consumers to get paid, spend, save, borrow and grow their money," Walmart said in a press release. Walmart added: "The combined business, which will operate under the brand name ONE, will provide users with an all-in-one financial services app to holistically manage their finances in one place. The company's products and services will be made available directly to consumers and through employers and merchants, including access to Walmart's 1.6 million U.S. associates and 100 million-plus weekly shoppers. Omer Ismail will lead the combined business as CEO of ONE. David Baga, CEO of Even, and Brian Hamilton, co-founder of ONE, will remain in key leadership positions. Upon closing of the transactions, the combined business will have more than 200 employees and be capitalized with more than $250 million in cash on the balance sheet to fund future growth." Over time, the ONE app will be integrated inside Walmart's physical and digital channels, offering solutions to its 1.6 million U.S. associates and 100 million-plus weekly shoppers, the company added. Reference Link

09:25 EST General Dynamics sees 2022 Marine revenue $10.8B

09:22 EST General Dynamics sees 2022 Aerospace revenue around $8.4B, 123 deliveries

09:21 EST Abbott sees Q1 organic sales growth high single digits, consensus $9.82B - Sees FX having 3% unfavorable impact on sales.

09:19 EST Abbott sees FY22 organic sales growth high single digits, consensus $40.4B - Sees FX having unfavorable impact of approximately 2% on sales. Sees FY22: Adjusted gross margin 58.5%. R&D investment $2.7B, SGA expense $10.8B, tax rate ~14.5%.

09:17 EST Crackle to offer 'Spider-Man' trilogy beginning February 1 - Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment announced that all three Columbia Pictures' Spider-Man films will be exclusively available for free on Crackle beginning February 1st. Crackle has the exclusive AVOD and fast channel streaming rights to the films.

09:13 EST Abbott says seeing 'very strong demand' for Covid tests - Says working to expand capacity to meet global demand for tests. Says all four business well-positioned for success in 2022. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

09:12 EST Focus Universal receives approval to uplist onto Nasdaq - Focus Universal announced approval of the company's application by Nasdaq to uplist the company's securities onto Nasdaq Global Market effective with the open of business on January 28, under Focus Universal's current ticker symbol.

09:10 EST Verizon's BlueJeans selected by Canada's NREN as platform of choice - Verizon Business announced BlueJeans by Verizon has been selected as the video conferencing provider of choice by Canada's National Research and Education Network, NREN, the federation of research and education networks spanning 13 provinces and territories, and their federal partner, CANARIE. Educational institutions across Canada will now have access to BlueJeans' secure video collaboration services and solutions, available in both French and English. BlueJeans by Verizon is a secure video conferencing solution and a part of the Advanced Communications portfolio within Verizon Business.

09:07 EST Schneider National increases quarterly dividend to 8c per dividend - Schneider declared a quarterly cash dividend of 8c per share on its Class A and Class B common stock, payable to shareholders of record as of March 11. The dividend is expected to be paid on April 8.

09:07 EST Motorsport Games announces official KartKraft launch - Motorsport Games announces the official launch of KartKraft, available to play on PC through the Steam store. Previously in 'Early Access' mode since November of 2018, this marks the full release of the leading kart racing simulator, bringing a bevy of new features for fans to enjoy. The trailer can be viewed here. KartKraft is developed and published by Motorsport Games, having acquired the game IP, assets and code from original developer Black Delta in March of 2021. Key members from Black Delta, including Founder Zach Griffin, joined Motorsport Games to form its new Australia-based studio, which has continued to work on KartKraft. Since last year's acquisition, Motorsport Games Australia has carried on developing the game to get it ready for its full launch.

09:05 EST REPX selects WISeKey's WISeID Technology for applications - WISeKey International announces the signing of a strategic partnership with The Reputation Exchange. REPX, through products and a series of technologically advanced applications - all based on registered patents - and an innovative business model, allows sports clubs, entertainment and sports stars, celebrities, influencers, brands and cities with high tourist appeal to have their own personalized prepaid credit card.

09:03 EST Honeywell makes strategic investment in RapidSOS - Honeywell announced a strategic investment in RapidSOS, as well as technology integrations between the two companies to modernize and digitize the public safety communications process. RapidSOS is an emergency response data platform used by more than 5,200 emergency communications centers worldwide. Through the strategic investment and technology integrations, the Honeywell Connected Life Safety System will link to the RapidSOS emergency response data platform to provide communications with emergency centers. When combined with Honeywell's solutions, RapidSOS technology will aim to transmit detailed data about the emergency, such as the type of hazard, severity, and location within the impacted building to emergency response centers. Terms of the investment were not disclosed.

09:01 EST Sophia Genetics appoints Ken Freedman as Chief Revenue Officer - Sophia Genetics has appointed Ken Freedman as Chief Revenue Officer. Previously, he was the Executive VP of Sales for Naviga. Prior to that, he was part of the executive team involved in selling MediaSpan to Vista Equity Partners during the early days of Newscycle.

08:58 EST AT&T says 'really well-positioned' in the enterprise space - Says continues to win share wherever the company has fiber. Sees FY22 wireless service revenue growth of 3%+. Sees 2022 as peak investment year for HBO Max. Sees WarnerMedia deal closing in Q2.

08:50 EST DTE Energy invests $2.2B with Michigan businesses in 2021 - DTE Energy announced it invested $2.2B with Michigan businesses in 2021, "creating and sustaining more than 10,000 jobs across the state," the company said. In 2021, the company spent more than $715M with certified diverse suppliers and $820M with businesses located in Detroit. DTE partners with businesses throughout Michigan: Southeast Michigan and Metro Detroit: DTE bought $1.7B in goods and services from more than 1,200 companies. West Michigan: DTE spent $97M with 200 companies. Northeast and Northwest Michigan: DTE invested $17M. South Michigan: DTE partnered with more than 300 companies, spending $222M. Central Michigan: DTE invested $46M with more than 90 companies. Thumb Region: DTE spent $103M with nearly 130 companies. Upper Peninsula: DTE partnered with more than 40 businesses, spending $10M .

08:47 EST Lincoln Educational introduces Dental Assistant training at NJ campus - Lincoln Educational Services announces the introduction of a Dental Assisting career training program at the Iselin, NJ campus. Set to address a projected gap of more than 14,000 job openings in New Jersey*, the program is the fourth option for healthcare education at the central New Jersey location along with Medical Assisting, Practical Nursing and Patient Care Technician training. The Iselin campus is the third Lincoln Tech campus to offer Dental Assistant career training, joining locations in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The Certificate-granting program can be completed in approximately 12 months, with day and evening scheduling options available.

08:46 EST AT&T says 'laser focused' on reducing debt - Says expects to be a top-dividend paying company post WarnerMedia deal. Says in "middle innings" of the company's transformation and gains are sustainable. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

08:45 EST H&R Block announces 'The Annual Reboot' paid week of time off - H&R Block announces "The Annual Reboot," a paid week of time off that will be offered to all associates annually during the first week of July. Block's Annual Reboot continues the company's focus on associate well-being, inclusion, and connectedness and is designated as a completely "offline" week in which everyone is encouraged to log off and take a break from work. Those core workers who will be needed to work during the Annual Reboot week will schedule their week off at a later date.

08:44 EST Midwest Energy Emissions announces debt repayment agreement extension - Midwest Energy Emissions announced that it has entered into an agreement with AC Midwest Energy, an affiliate of Alterna Capital Partners, a registered investment advisor, which extends the closing date deadline for the debt repayment agreement with Alterna, previously announced in June 2021. The agreement will repay all existing secured and unsecured debt obligations presently held by Alterna. The original terms of the agreement remain consistent with a new closing date of no later than June 30, 2022.

08:43 EST Akari Therapeutics advances lung program with inhaled nomacopan - Akari Therapeutics announced further development of a program for the inhaled delivery of nomacopan to the lung, working with Inhalation Sciences AB to refine dosing and pharmacokinetics of nomacopan for both dry powder and nebulized delivery. Clive Richardson, Chief Executive Officer of Akari Therapeutics, said, "Accumulating data with nomacopan indicate that the innate immune response driven by complement and leukotriene pathways could be critical in determining the severity of the inflammatory response across a range of diseases including in the lung. Gaining control of the dysregulation in innate responses by inhibiting C5 and LTB4 with an inhaled form of nomacopan could provide relief from often life-threatening exacerbations in lung illnesses such as COPD and severe asthma. We are therefore delighted to be working with Inhalation Biosciences AB to further develop an inhaled drug delivery system for nomacopan." Data from Akari-sponsored observational studies in exacerbating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, and COVID-pneumonia indicated complement C5 and LTB4 levels were elevated and the severity of exacerbations in COPD patients was associated with the initial levels of C5. This points to the potential for nomacopan, a potent inhibitor of both C5 and LTB4, as a focused treatment for disease exacerbations across multiple severe lung disorders, including severe asthma, COPD and COVID-pneumonia.

08:41 EST Cemtrex, onXRP announce partnership to further develop onXRP.com platform - onXRP.com and CXR, a subsidiary of Cemtrex, announced that they will be partnering up to create a set of modular extensions that will help further develop the onXRP ecosystem. Cemtrex's Chairman and CEO, Saagar Govil commented, "We love the vision of onXRP and the team couldn't be more excited to build on the XRPL to develop XRPL NFT-supporting technology that strives to be the first of its kind on this Blockchain. With increasing market adoption around crypto economies - the metaverse, blockchain and NFTs are rapidly becoming the new internet. As a creative technology lab, CXR is designing and developing at the forefront of all these technologies and well equipped to help organizations like onXRP define the future of some of the biggest changes to the internet economy in the last 30 years." CXR's design capabilities and blockchain development experience will allow onXRP to scale "effectively and efficiently while maintaining quality of product through necessary rapid iterations," the company said.

08:40 EST AIM ImmunoTech to participate in Solve M.E. webinar - AIM ImmunoTech announced it will participate in the Solve M.E. Diagnostics and Treatments Webinar: "Ampligen: A General Overview and the Plan for ME/CFS & Long Covid," being held on Thursday, January 27, 2022 from 2:00 - 3:00 pm ET. Ampligen, is AIM's RNA product candidate being developed for globally important cancers, viral diseases and disorders of the immune system. Ampligen is designed to modulate the immune system and has demonstrated anti-viral activity. The Company is currently sponsoring an expanded access program for ME/CFS patients in the United States, and in 2021, AIM dosed its first "Long Hauler" patient with Ampligen in its post-COVID-19 "Long Hauler" portion of the active AMP-511 EAP in the U.S. Early data from the ongoing AMP-511 EAP and data from an earlier study, AMP-502, has indicated that patients with cognitive function deficiency have reported improvements in cognitive function after Ampligen treatment.

08:39 EST Kirkland Lake Gold, Rogers Business launch 5G wireless private network - Kirkland Lake Gold (KL) and Rogers Business (RCI) announced the launch of a 5G Wireless Private Network at Kirkland Lake Gold's Detour Lake Mine. Detour Lake is the first of its kind in Canada to be fully connected over a 5G Wireless Private Network, providing enhanced coverage, end-to-end reliability, full redundancy, and a low latency network across its 80-square-kilometre operation. Also announced today, in collaboration with Rogers, the Company is building eight new wireless cell towers to cover more than 180 km along Highway 652 between Cochrane, Ontario and Detour Lake. Reliable and critical connectivity will provide the local communities with improved service reliability and close connectivity gaps. This public network is almost all off-grid, with seven of the eight towers primarily powered by wind and solar energy. The network is planned to be completed and fully-accessible by summer of 2022.

08:37 EST Iteris gets $1.7M SBCTA contract for regional smart mobility and sustainability - Iteris announced that it has been awarded a $1.7M contract from the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority SBCTA for a regional smart mobility, safety and sustainability program, representing continued demand for Iteris' cloud-enabled managed services, specialized consulting services and software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions in a key geographic market.

08:36 EST Osisko Mining confirms high-grade zone at Golden Bear - Osisko Mining is pleased to provide new results from the expanding Golden Bear discovery located approximately 1000 metres north of its 100% owned high-grade Windfall gold deposit, located in the Abitibi greenstone belt, Urban township, Eeyou Istchee James Bay, Quebec. Expansion drilling 250 metres south-west of the Golden Bear discovery hole has defined the presence of a fourth mineralized zone. This new zone displays silica alteration, pyrite mineralization and local visible gold, similar to the mineralization style observed at the high-grade Lynx zones at Windfall. D4 is located 225 below surface and remains open along strike, up and down plunge and has a sub-parallel orientation to the three previously defined "D" zones. The drill program at Golden Bear is currently focusing on the up and down plunge areas of the new D4 zone. D4 is located 250 metres south-west of D1, is open in all directions, and is currently defined by five intercepts: 15.3 g/t Au over 3.5 metres in drillhole OSK-UB-21-296; 6.26 g/t Au over 2.8 metres in drillhole OSK-UB-21-298; 4.14 g/t Au over 1.4 metres and 4.15 g/t Au over 1.2 metres in drillhole OSK-UB-21-299; and 10.5 g/t Au over 2.4 metres in drillhole OSK-UB-21-301.

08:34 EST Magellan Midstream CEO Michael Mears retiring April 30, Aaron Milford succeeds - Magellan Midstream EO Michael Mears will retire on April 30. Mears has served as President, CEO and Chairman of the board for Magellan since 2011. Aaron Milford, 48, will succeed Mears as President and CEO and will become a Board Member effective May 1. Currently, Milford serves as the COO. At the same time, Barry Pearl, who now serves as lead director, will become chairman of the board, separating the roles of Chairman and CEO consistent with governance best practices. Milford has worked in the energy industry for 27 years with extensive experience in financial analysis, mergers and acquisitions and business development. He also has spent his entire career with Magellan or its predecessors, including serving as CFO from 2015 to 2019 prior to his current role as COO.

08:33 EST Stran & Company to acquire GAP Promotions in asset purchase transaction - Stran & Company announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire GAP Promotions in an asset purchase transaction. The acquisition is expected to close during the first quarter of 2022, and is subject to customary closing conditions. Headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts, GAP Promo is a full-service promotions agency that designs, sources, and develops custom brand solutions for many of the world's leading beverage and consumer packaged goods companies. GAP Promo achieved sales of $7.4 million in 2020 and has been profitable since inception in 2006. GAP Promo's expertise in point of sale, display, racks and more bolsters Stran's business in the beverage and consumer packaged goods sectors. Stran's product sourcing and development, technology, logistics and fulfillment expertise provides GAP Promo's customers with a broader array of new services and capabilities. The combined knowledge and capabilities are expected to generate growth opportunities across both organizations' existing clients, as well as help attract new clients. Gayle Piraino, founder and President of GAP Promo, will continue with the Company to lead the new GAP Promo business. Stran will also retain all of GAP Promo's current employees.

08:29 EST Aeterna Zentaris provides business outlook, outlines pipeline priorities - Aeterna Zentaris provided a corporate update and business outlook. Pre-Clinical and Clinical Programs Update: Therapeutics Development Pipeline: AIM Biologicals: Aeterna entered into an exclusive patent license and research agreement with Julius-Maximilians-University of Wuerzburg in January and September 2021 to develop AIM Biologicals for the potential treatment of NMOSD and PD, respectively. Next Steps - NMOSD: Conduct in-vitro and in-vivo assessments to select an AIM Biologicals-based development candidate. Manufacturing process development for selected candidate. Next Steps - Parkinson's Disease: Design and produce antigen-specific AIM Biologics molecules for the potential treatment of Parkinson's disease. Conduct in-vitro and in-vivo assessments in relevant Parkinson's disease models. Delayed Clearance Parathyroid Hormone Fusion Polypeptides: In March 2021, Aeterna entered into an exclusive patent and know-how license agreement and research agreement with The University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, for the intellectual property relating to DC-PTH fusion polypeptides with delayed clearance for all human uses. Next Steps: Work with The University of Sheffield to conduct in depth characterization of development candidate. Develop manufacturing process. Formalize pre-clinical development of AEZS-150 in preparation for a potential IND filing for conducting the first in-human clinical study. Macimorelin Therapeutic: Ghrelin agonist in development for the treatment of ALS: In January 2021, the Company entered into a material transfer agreement with the University of Queensland, Australia, to provide macimorelin for the conduct of pre-clinical and subsequent clinical studies evaluating macimorelin as a potential therapeutic for the treatment of ALS. Apart from already available pre-clinical and clinical data on macimorelin for the development as a diagnostic, Aeterna may utilize the established supply chain to support this development. Next Steps: Work with The University of Queensland to conduct proof-of-concept studies with macimorelin in disease-specific animal models. Assess alternative formulations. Formalize pre-clinical development plan.

08:29 EST Synaptics announces Gemini reference design for wireless docking experience - Synaptics announced the Gemini reference design that delivers the world's first true Wi-Fi 6/6E wireless docking experience for notebook and laptop PC users. Gemini comprises a unique suite of tightly coupled Synaptics hardware and software elements that securely connect with a docking station or wirelessly enabled monitor when brought within a preset range. It does so with full dual-4K display capability and ultra-low latency that is indistinguishable from wired connections. Gemini was demonstrated at CES 2022.

08:25 EST BigCommerce chosen by Tottenham Hotspur for online optimization, expansion - BigCommerce announced Tottenham Hotspur, a football brand, has selected BigCommerce's platform to optimize its online store and drive its expansion into international markets. Launching on BigCommerce will enable Tottenham Hotspur to further improve ecommerce functionality including frictionless checkout, personalized shopping and a seamless experience across online and offline channels. "BigCommerce's leading Open SaaS approach was a deciding factor for us," said Duncan Pass, head of retail at Tottenham Hotspur. "Their flexible ecommerce platform combined with their curated ecosystem of integration partners create endless opportunities for us to modernize our online store, offer amazing features for our fans and support our continued growth throughout the world." Tottenham Hotspur will leverage BigCommerce's platform to further enhance its popular online store's capabilities and fan experience not only at home in the UK, but also in APAC and North America where the club has a significant and growing fanbase. Tottenham Hotspur partnered with BigCommerce because of the platform's internationalization features such as multi-store front and price lists, flexibility and its integrated partnerships with payment and checkout solutions like Fast and Global-e.

08:22 EST AT&T says plans to increase investment in fiber, 5G in 2022 - Expects to reduce net debt to reach 2.5x by end of 2023. Plans to provide an attractive dividend inthe $8B-$9B per year range post WarnerMedia transaction. Comments taken from investor presentation slides for Q4.

08:19 EST Stevanato Group signs extension to license agreement with Haselmeier - Stevanato Group has signed an extension to its licensing agreement with Haselmeier, a company of the medmix group, for its Axis-D pen injector technology. The extension gives the company exclusivity to offer the technology to support a broader range of drugs for its biopharma customers beyond diabetes, including therapeutic areas such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders, pain management, neurological disorders, arthritis, and others. Stevanato Group is focused on delivering an integrated end-to-end product portfolio, supported by its scientific and analytical processes and services.

08:16 EST Kirkland Lake Gold, Roger Business launch 5G WPN at Detour Lake Mine - Kirkland Lake Gold and Rogers Business announced the launch of a 5G Wireless Private Network, WPN, at Kirkland Lake Gold's Detour Lake Mine. "Detour Lake is the first of its kind in Canada to be fully connected over a 5G Wireless Private Network," the company said. Also announced today, in collaboration with Rogers, the Company is building eight new wireless cell towers to cover more than 180 km along Highway 652 between Cochrane, Ontario and Detour Lake. This public network is almost all off-grid, with seven of the eight towers primarily powered by wind and solar energy. The network is planned to be completed and fully-accessible by Summer of 2022. Tony Makuch, President and CEO of Kirkland Lake Gold, commented: "Bringing a 5G wireless private network to Detour Lake provides the stable and reliable service we need as we build the digital mine of the future. Not only does the new network provide an extra layer of connectivity for our employees, it also enables us to drive mining innovation and technology into the future by expanding tele-remote drill operations and research into potential autonomous haul trucks. Most importantly, having a 5G network available across Detour Lake Mine's remote operations will help create a safer work environment for our employees and contractors."

08:14 EST Quoin signs exclusive distribution agreement with Orphan DC for QRX003 - Quoin Pharmaceuticals announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Quoin Pharmaceuticals, has entered into an exclusive Distribution Agreement with OrphanDC, a partner for biotech companies in Latin America, for QRX003, the Company's investigational treatment for Netherton Syndrome. Under the terms of the agreement, OrphanDC gains exclusive rights to commercialize QRX003 in Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia under a revenue sharing partnership. Quoin will be the exclusive supplier of QRX003 to OrphanDC. Dr. Michael Myers, Chief Executive Officer of Quoin, commented, "We're excited to announce Quoin's fourth distribution agreement for QRX003. This agreement with OrphanDC covers Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia, which are the key markets in Latin America for rare and orphan diseases. OrphanDC has a tremendous track record of delivering orphan drugs to rare disease patients, and we look forward to working with them to bring relief to patients suffering with Netherton Syndrome... We are in discussions with other international distributors as well, as we continue working diligently on all fronts to advance our clinical program," concluded Dr. Myers.

08:12 EST Aligos Therapeutics begins dosing of CHB patients in Phase 1 ASO study - Aligos Therapeutics announced that the first chronic hepatitis B, CHB, patient has been dosed in the multiple ascending dose, MAD, portion of Study ALG-020572-401 which is evaluating antisense oligonucleotide, ASO, ALG-020572. "We are pleased to have initiated the MAD phase of this study in CHB patients," said Lawrence Blatt, Ph.D., MBA, Chairman and CEO of Aligos. "As with our earlier CHB portfolio drugs entering Phase 1 studies, we plan to evaluate multiple dose levels in patients to determine the risk-benefit profile for ALG-020572 before advancing it into combination studies with other drugs." Study ALG-020572-401 is a Phase 1a/1b umbrella study, which is evaluating the safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of the ASO ALG-020572 when given subcutaneously as single doses to healthy volunteers or 7 doses over 29 days in CHB patients.

08:11 EST Vaccinex reports two complete responses in Phase 1b/2 KEYNOTE-B84 study - Vaccinex reported interim response data in the Phase Ib segment of the KEYNOTE-B84 study of Vaccinex's pepinemab in combination with Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy KEYTRUDA in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Among the three patients enrolled in the Phase1b safety segment of the study, two patients have been observed to experience a complete response, as per RECIST v.1.1. Biomarker analysis revealed that tumors in both responders expressed low levels of PD-L1 biomarker a subset of HNSCC patients who have historically low response rates to anti-PD-1/L1 antibodies administered as single agents. KEYNOTE-B84 Study: The Phase 1b safety observation segment of KEYNOTE-B84 enrolled 3 patients to assess potential Dose Limiting Toxicity for pepinemab, Vaccinex's monoclonal antibody inhibitor of SEMA4D, in combination with KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, in R/M HNSCC. The trial's Data Safety Monitoring Board determined that the recommended phase 2 dose of pepinemab, in combination with KEYTRUDA, appeared to be well-tolerated. Treatment was continued following the 28-day Safety Observation Period, and, as per protocol, an on-treatment biopsy of a target lesion was obtained at week 5, and scans for tumor response assessments were performed week 9 and every 6-weeks thereafter. Two of these initial three patients have been observed to experience a complete response, as per RECIST v.1.1. Case Study: #1, Complete Response: Oropharyngeal cancer; Adverse Events: none of notable severity; Target lesions: metastatic lung lesions; Biopsy at Week 5: left lung target lesion: "no evidence of malignancy. Fibrous and chronic inflammation"; Week 9 scan: Stable Disease, 19% decrease in target lesion size; Week 15 scan: Complete Response, 100% decrease; Week 21 scan: Confirmed, Complete Response; Biomarkers: PD-L1: Combined Positive Score less than20 and HPV status: negative. Case Study: #2. Complete Response; Larynx cancer with direct invasion into thyroid and neck; Adverse Events: Grade 1 rash; Target lesion: neck mass; Biopsy at Week 5: "no evidence of malignancy"; Week 9 scan: Complete Response, 100% decrease; Week 15 scan: Confirmation pending, expected early March 2022; Biomarkers: PD-L1: CPS less than1 and HPV status: negative. The third patient in this group who had cancer of the tongue was deemed by investigator to have clinical progression and withdrew from the study at Week 6, which was prior to the first radiologic tumor response assessment at Week 9, and was, therefore, non-evaluable for tumor response. Patient also suffered serious adverse events including dehydration and hyperglycemia that were attributed to a pre-existing co-morbidity unrelated to treatment. Vaccinex has global commercial and development rights to pepinemab, and is sponsor of the KEYNOTE-B84 study which is being performed in collaboration with Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp, a subsidiary of Merck and Co, Inc. Kenilworth, NJ, USA.

08:11 EST Hepion announces results from nonclinical research study on rencofilstat - Hepion Pharmaceuticals announced the results of a nonclinical research study showing that its clinical phase drug candidate, rencofilstat, synergistically decreased liver tumor growth and extended mouse survival when combined with an anti-PD1 antibody, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, ICI. The effects were observed in fatty livers, which may be associated with lower anti-PD1 efficacy in HCC, suggesting that rencofilstat may increase the treatment potential of anti-PD1 treatment in human liver cancer. The study was conducted by Fibrofind in collaboration with Professor Derek Mann, Dean of Research, and Innovation at Newcastle University. In the first study arm, drugs were administered from Day 14 to Day 28 post-tumor cell implantation, followed by measurement of liver tumor size. In the second study arm, drugs were administered from Day 14 post-tumor cell implantation until ethical euthanasia or death of the mice resulting from tumor growth. Neither rencofilstat nor anti-PD1 administered alone altered the size of tumors at Day 28, nor the survival of the mice compared to vehicle treatment. In contrast, combination treatment of rencofilstat plus anti-PD1 decreased tumor size by 69% at Day 28 and increased median mouse survival time by 26%, compared to vehicle treatment. A robust anti-tumor effect from the drug combination, but not from monotherapy treatments, is an indication of rencofilstat and anti-PD1 synergy.

08:08 EST Aemetis completes 7-mile pipeline to transport Biogas from five diary digesters - Aemetis announced that its subsidiary Aemetis Biogas has completed an additional seven miles of underground pipeline to transport biogas from five new dairy digesters to the centralized Renewable Natural Gas upgrading facility located at the Aemetis Keyes biofuels plant. Including the four miles of biogas pipeline commissioned in late 2020, Aemetis has now installed more than 11 miles of pipeline and is on track to complete the 36-mile biogas pipeline network in 2022. Construction crews are now working on an additional 25 miles of pipeline spanning Stanislaus and Merced Counties to transport biogas for Phases 2 and 3 of the project. "With five dairy biogas digesters under construction and scheduled to begin biogas production by mid-year, the completion of this phase of pipeline on time and under budget is another significant milestone for the Aemetis Biogas dairy RNG project," said Andy Foster, President of Aemetis Biogas. "By year's end, we expect to have built 15 new dairy digesters and completed the 36-mile biogas pipeline network, providing immediate benefits to the region's air quality and the state's low carbon transportation fuel supply." The Aemetis Biogas dairy RNG project, energy efficiency upgrades to the Aemetis Keyes biofuels plant, and the Aemetis Renewable Jet/Diesel project include $57M of grant funding and other support.

08:06 EST Brainsway announces addition of Heilig to scientific advisory board - BrainsWay announced the addition of Professor Markus Heilig, M.D., Ph.D., to BrainsWay's scientific advisory board. Professor Heilig is the Founding Director of the Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience of Linkoping University and the region of Ostergotland, an initiative supported by the Swedish Research Council.

08:05 EST Adaptimmune announces appointment of Piccina as Chief Commercial Officer - Adaptimmune Therapeutics (ADAP) announces the appointment of Cintia Piccina as Chief Commercial Officer effective January 31, 2022. "I am delighted to welcome Cintia to our leadership team. She brings extensive commercial experience, including in cell and gene therapy, that will be key as we prepare to submit our first BLA for afami-cel this year, and build our commercial capabilities to support the launch of this initial product and future next-gen cell therapies within our MAGE-A4 franchise," said Adrian Rawcliffe, Adaptimmune's Chief Executive Officer. Most recently, Cintia served as the Head of Commercial at 2Seventy Bio (TSVT) and as SVP Commercial Oncology and US General Manager.

08:03 EST Cyclerion announces initiation of patient dosing in CY6463 Phase 2a study - Cyclerion Therapeutics announced that patient dosing has begun in its Phase 2a study in Alzheimer's Disease with Vascular Pathology, ADv. "The need for effective new treatments for Alzheimer's disease is immense, and, given the aging population demographics and increasing rate of diagnosis, this need will continue to expand. We believe that CY6463 has potential to provide meaningful cognitive benefits and are very pleased to have initiated this important clinical study," said Andreas Busch, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Cyclerion. "Our CY6463 ADv development efforts are supported by preclinical data which demonstrate beneficial effects on cognition measures and the neuronal and microglia cellular activity thought to have a central role in the pathology and the cognitive dysfunction experienced by individuals living with ADv. Furthermore, a Phase 1 study in elderly subjects demonstrated an impact on biomarkers relevant to neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. The ongoing Phase 2a study will focus on a segment of the Alzheimer's disease population where we believe our therapeutic candidate has the best opportunity to provide a clinical benefit. We expect this trial to deliver a rich dataset that will deepen our understanding of the therapeutic potential of CY6463 and will enable well-informed decisions regarding further development." The Phase 2a ADv study is a randomized, placebo-controlled study of oral once-daily CY6463 in approximately 30 participants over a twelve-week dosing period. The study will evaluate safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics as well as explore the impact on various disease-relevant pharmacodynamic biomarkers and cognitive performance.

08:02 EST ManTech awarded $88M task order for combat weapons system support - The Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division has awarded ManTech a five-year $88M IDIQ task order to provide Test and Evaluation support for U.S. Navy weapons and combat systems. Under this successful recompete, ManTech will provide comprehensive T&E for software programs and safety certification of U.S. Navy weapons and combat systems programs, including the Aegis Combat System, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, Ship Self-Defense System Aircraft Carrier - Nuclear Propulsion, Littoral Combat Ship and Zumwalt class guided missile destroyers. ManTech will provide technical mission analysis and engineering expertise for naval ships and sites worldwide, as required.

08:01 EST Norfolk Southern reports Q4 operating ratio 60.4% - The railway operating ratio was 60.4%, a fourth-quarter record.

07:49 EST Boeing sees FY22 operating cash flow improving vs. FY21

07:45 EST Mattel, Disney in global licensing deal for Disney Princess, Frozen franchises - Mattel (MAT) announced a multi-year global licensing agreement for the Disney (DIS) Princess and Frozen franchises. Mattel will have the global licensing rights to develop lines of toys for Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing, including fashion dolls, small dolls, and figures. The collection is expected to launch at retailers around the globe at the beginning of 2023. "We are incredibly proud to welcome back the Disney Princess and Frozen lines to Mattel," said Richard Dickson, President and Chief Operating Officer, Mattel. "As the worldwide leader in dolls, we look forward to bringing our unique Mattel Playbook approach to brand management, product and marketing expertise, and unrelenting attention to detail and quality to create innovative and inspiring lines for these iconic stories and characters." The new licensing arrangement builds on the existing licensing relationship between Mattel and Disney for Pixar Animation Studio's Toy Story and Cars franchises, and the recently announced global licensing agreement for Lightyear. "The courage and compassion found throughout our Disney Princess and Frozen stories and characters continue to inspire fans around the globe," said Stephanie Young, President of Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing. "By furthering our longstanding relationship with Mattel, we look forward to expanding the worlds of Disney Princess and Frozen, introducing an innovative new era of these beloved franchises through captivating products and play opportunities."

07:40 EST Hess Corp. sees FY22 net production 330,000 boepd to 340,000 boepd - Sees FY22 net production, excluding Libya, is forecast to be in the range of 330,000 boepd to 340,000 boepd, which is a 12 percent to 15 percent increase from 2021; Bakken net production is forecast to be in the range of 165,000 boepd to 170,000 boepd, which is a 6 percent to 9 percent increase from 2021 E&P capital and exploratory expenditures are expected to be approximately $2.6B, of which approximately 80 percent will be allocated to Guyana and the Bakken.

07:36 EST Kimberly-Clark board approves 1.8% increase to quarterly dividend to $1.16/share - The quarterly dividend will increase to $1.16 per share, up from $1.14 per share in 2021. The first dividend will be payable on April 4, 2022 to stockholders of record on March 4, 2022.

07:34 EST Boeing CEO says '2021 was a rebuilding year for us' - "2021 was a rebuilding year for us as we overcame hurdles and reached key milestones across our commercial, defense and services portfolios. We increased 737 MAX production and deliveries, and safely returned the 737 MAX to service in nearly all global markets. As the commercial market recovery gained traction, we also generated robust commercial orders, including record freighter sales. Demonstrating progress in our overall recovery, we also returned to generating positive cash flow in the fourth quarter," said David Calhoun, Boeing President and CEO. "On the 787 program, we're progressing through a comprehensive effort to ensure every airplane in our production system conforms to our exacting specifications. While this continues to impact our near-term results, it is the right approach to building stability and predictability as demand returns for the long term. Across the enterprise, we remain focused on safety and quality as we deliver for our customers and invest in our people and in our sustainable future."

07:32 EST Boeing sees 787-related abnormal costs approximately $2B

07:32 EST Boeing reports Q4 operating cash flow $716M, free cash flow $494M

07:26 EST Lifeist Wellness board modifies non-employee director compensation structure - Lifeist Wellness announced that the Board of Directors has implemented changes to the Company's compensation plan for non-employee directors. The changes are part of a review conducted by the Compensation Committee, driven by shifts in the Company's asset portfolio, evolving industry practices, good corporate governance practices, and shareholder feedback. The changes made serve to better align the compensation of our directors with the interests of the Company and its shareholders, and support the focus on innovation, cash flow generation, and capital returns. On the basis of the recommendations made by the Compensation Committee, the Board has approved changes to the Company's non-employee director compensation plan including:a 24% reduction in baseline compensation; rebalancing such baseline compensation to 65% being satisfied in the form of security-based awards, subject to the Company's Deferred Share Unit Plan and/or the Company's Restricted Share Unit Plan Plan, instead of cash; a 20% reduction in committee membership compensation, and a 30% reduction in committee chair compensation. In addition, the Board has instructed management to make enquiries with respect to Lifeist establishing an automatic securities disposition plan for certain insiders pursuant to which a plan administrator would be authorized to sell securities of the Company on behalf of such insiders during predetermined periods with predetermined instructions, solely to cover off tax related costs associated with said securities, while ensuring insider compliance with insider trading prohibitions and blackout periods, all in accordance with CSA Staff Notice 55-317 Automatic Securities Disposition Plans.

07:24 EST EU commercial vehicle registrations down 8.4% in December - In December, the EU commercial vehicle market contracted again, marking the sixth consecutive month of decline, reported the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. Demand fell by 8.4% to 155,963 units, mainly due to a drop in new van sales, the group said. Publicly traded truck makers and suppliers include Daimler AG (DDAIF), Paccar (PCAR), CNH Industrial (CNHI), Navistar (NAV), Cummins (CMI) and Allison Transmission (ALSN).

07:17 EST iKena Oncology appoints Richard Wooster to board of directors - Ikena Oncology announced the appointment of Richard Wooster, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors. Dr. Wooster brings more than 30 years of experience in oncology drug discovery and development. Dr. Wooster most recently served as the Chief Scientific Officer at Translate Bio.

07:14 EST Medicenna announces peer-reviewed publication of preclinical data on MDNA11 - Medicenna Therapeutics announced the peer-reviewed publication of preclinical data on MDNA11, the Company's selective, long-acting and novel IL-2 super-agonist. The paper, which was published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, is entitled, "Fine-tuned Long-Acting Interleukin-2 Superkine Potentiates Durable Immune Responses in Mice and Non-Human Primate." Data presented in the paper are from in vitro, murine, and non-human primate, NHP, studies evaluating MDNA11's anti-cancer activity as well as its selective IL-2 receptor binding, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and safety profiles. Key data and conclusions from the paper include: In vitro studies: MDNA11 demonstrated a 30-fold increase in binding affinity for IL-2Rbeta compared to rhIL-2; MDNA11 showed no affinity for IL-2Ralpha at concentrations up to 2,000 nM MDNA11; MDNA11 showed enhanced signaling in anti-cancer T and NK cells and reduced activation of pro-tumor Treg cells when compared to rhIL-2 as shown by 231-fold and 124-fold enhancements in CD8+/Treg and NK/Treg pSTAT EC50 ratios, respectively. Murine studies: The terminal half-life of MDNA11 in mice was 25 times greater than that of rhIL-2; Cell depletion studies showed that both, CD8+ T cells and NK cells are important for MDNA11 mediated anti-tumor efficacy; There was enhanced activation of CD8+ T cells within the tumors as demonstrated by significant increase in expression of intracellular interferon gamma; MDNA11 alone or in combination with checkpoint inhibitors generated durable complete responses and provided long-term protection against tumor re-challenge in murine cancer models. NHP studies: MDNA11 preferentially induced durable proliferation and expansion of anti-cancer immune effector cells, with limited stimulation of pro-tumor Treg cells; Proliferation of anti-cancer immune effector cells remained elevated for at least 7 days following treatment with MDNA11; MDNA11 was well tolerated. The main safety observations of reduced activity and diarrhea were primarily observed at the highest dose level following the first dose and were generally transient in nature. In summary, MDNA11's durable and potent memory response as a single agent together with a favorable safety profile positions the Superkine as a potential long-acting next generation IL-2 for cancer immunotherapy. MDNA11 is currently being evaluated in patients with advanced, relapsed or refractory solid tumors in the Phase 1/2 ABILITY study. Medicenna expects to provide an update on safety, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic data from the ABILITY study in the first quarter of 2022. An initial efficacy data update from the study is expected in mid-2022.

07:14 EST Altus Power names Dan Alcombright Chief Platform Officer - Altus Power appointed Dan Alcombright to the newly created position of Chief Platform Officer. Alcombright began work in this position on January 3rd. Alcombright, who most recently worked for Duke Energy prior to joining Altus Power, will join the company's leadership team and oversee its strategy to scale operations across the platform, build sustainable value through its alliances with portfolio partners. Prior to joining Altus Power, Alcombright began his career as a manufacturing automation software engineer. In 2009 Alcombright joined the renewable energy industry as President and CEO of SOLON Corporation. Most recently, Mr. Alcombright worked at Duke Energy's subsidiary REC Solar, Alcombright will also serve as a member of the newly created Executive Operations Committee together with Julia Sears, Chief Digital Officer, and Sophia Lee, Chief Legal Officer. The Executive Operations Committee has been tasked with overseeing and guiding the execution of a digital operations platform that will increase the velocity of information sharing and flow of data between customer origination, asset development and construction and asset operations.

07:12 EST Chevron places order for automated drones - Ondas (ONDS) and American Robotics announced that American Robotics received a new purchase order from Chevron (CVX) for its fully autonomous, FAA-approved, Scout Systems. This will be American Robotics' second Fortune 100 customer in the oil and gas space.

07:11 EST Stifel Financial reports total assets of $7.4B - Total assets increased $7.4B, or 28%, over the year-ago quarter and 11% sequentially. Tangible book value per common share of $28.26, up 20% from prior year.

07:10 EST Ziopharm highlights operational updates, rebrands to Alaunos Therapeutics - Ziopharm Oncology highlighted recent operational and corporate updates. The Company also announced that it has changed its name to Alaunos Therapeutics. Operational Updates: Phase 1/2 TCR-T Library Program Open for Enrollment: Alaunos' phase 1/2 clinical trial is evaluating library TCR-T shared hotspot neoantigens using the Company's Sleeping Beauty transposon/transposase technology. The Company added four additional T-cell receptors to its library, further increasing the number of eligible patients for the clinical trial. The Phase 1 primary endpoint is maximum tolerated dose or recommended phase 2 dose. The Company expects to dose the first patient in the first half of 2022 and to provide an interim data update later this year. In-House cGMP Manufacturing Facility Operational: Alaunos completed the qualification of its state-of-the-art good manufacturing practice TCR manufacturing facility near the Texas Medical Center in Houston. hunTR, human neoantigen T-cell Receptor, Platform for TCR Discovery: Alaunos' TCR hunting process, hunTR, enables the rapid identification of new and proprietary TCRs from CD4+ and CD8+ T cells to further expand the Company's growing TCR-T library. Corporate Updates: Name Change to Alaunos Therapeutics.: The name Alaunos originates from the Celtic mythological god of healing, reflecting the Company's commitment to developing therapies for cancer patients. The Company will trade on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the new ticker symbol "TCRT", to be effective at market open on January 27, 2022. Closure of Boston, MA Location: To streamline operations, the Company has closed its Boston office. Alaunos will be headquartered in Houston.

07:09 EST Stifel Financial reports total assets of $7.4B - Total assets increased $7.4V, or 28%, over the year-ago quarter and 11% sequentially. Tangible book value per common share of $28.26, up 20% from prior year.

07:06 EST Quest Diagnostics launches at-home COVID-19 rapid antigen test - Quest Diagnostics (DGX) announced the availability of an at-home COVID-19 rapid antigen test service for consumer purchase, available through QuestDirect, the company's consumer-initiated testing platform. Through a collaboration with eMed, the new service features proctored telehealth by which a trained technician observes proper sample collection, confirms identity, and certifies results reporting during a telehealth visit. The offering enables the Abbott (ABT) BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test, a self-administered nasal swab antigen test that provides results in 15 minutes, to be used under observation from a certified telehealth proctor so that the user receives a laboratory report through eMed. The report may be used for international travel, leisure activities, verification of positive results to enable prescription treatment by a physician, and for return to work or school programs as proctored COVID-19 tests are required in some settings, including under current CDC guidelines for international travelers coming to the U.S. Each test comes with certified telehealth proctoring already enabled for use 24/7, anywhere in the world. Adults and children aged four and up may use the test. Each test kit contains a two-pack of tests for $70 available for purchase through QuestDirect.

07:04 EST Nasdaq sees 2022 non-GAAP tax rate 24%-26% - The company is initiating its 2022 non-GAAP operating expense guidance to a range of $1,680 to $1,760 million. Nasdaq expects its 2022 non-GAAP tax rate to be in the range of 24.0% to 26.0%.

07:03 EST Immunocore announces FDA approval of KIMMTRAK - Immunocore announces approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration, FDA, of KIMMTRAK for the treatment of HLA-A 02:01-positive adult patients with unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma. Bahija Jallal, Chief Executive Officer of Immunocore, said: "Today's approval of KIMMTRAK is a historic milestone and the culmination of years of dedication by the Immunocore team, patients, and our healthcare partners. Every year in the United States, hundreds of people are diagnosed with metastatic uveal melanoma who, until now, had no approved treatment options. KIMMTRAK is the first therapy to demonstrate a survival benefit to patients with this disease and we are focused on making KIMMTRAK available as quickly as possible." Dr. Jallal continues, "We're also proud to have developed the world's first approved TCR therapeutic, which we believe validates the strength of our platform and opens doors for us to explore further breakthrough discoveries in TCR therapeutics for the treatment of other cancers and diseases with high unmet need." The approval of KIMMTRAK is based on the results of Immunocore's Phase 3 IMCgp100-202 clinical trial, which were published in the September 23, 2021 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The company is ready to commercialize KIMMTRAK and expects to make the product commercially available in the United States within weeks.

06:59 EST NRx Pharmaceuticals receives safety report from Zyesami Right to Try use - NRx Pharmaceuticals has received a first safety report from a Southwestern hospital where physicians have administered Zyesami to patients with COVID-19 respiratory failure. These patients were treated under the Federal Right to Try Law that gives access to investigational medicines for patients who have been diagnosed with life-threatening diseases or conditions, who have tried all approved treatment options, and who are unable to participate in a clinical trial to access certain unapproved treatments. This Right to Try use of Zyesami occurred during the current omicron surge, although patients were not necessarily tested for the specific COVID variant that caused their ICU admission. The safety update report received from the hospital indicated that of the first 19 patients treated by December 31, 2021, three had died and 16 were reported to be alive by January 22, 2021. At the time of the report, 14 of these 16 patients had been discharged to a rehabilitation center or home and two remained in the hospital. No serious adverse events, or SAEs, related to Zyesami were reported. These data were included in an application to FDA for Emergency Use Authorization for the treatment of patients with critical COVID-19 who are at immediate risk of death from respiratory failure despite treatment with approved therapy including remdesivir. NRx will continue to update the safety database collected under the Right to Try law on an ongoing basis. The data being received from hospitals and patients treated under the Right to Try law do not involve a control group and are not part of a research study designed to test efficacy. Zyesami continues to be tested in the ongoing NIH-sponsored ACTIV-3b trial that has now accrued two-thirds of its targeted enrollment.

06:51 EST Brookfield Renewable Partners acquires Urban Grid for $650M - Brookfield Renewable, together with its institutional partners, announced the acquisition of clean power developer Urban Grid and its high-quality pipeline of projects comprising approximately 13,000 megawatts of utility-scale solar and 7,000 megawatts of energy storage capacity for $650M. The addition of Urban Grid's projects approximately triples Brookfield Renewable's U.S. development pipeline to approximately 31,000 megawatts of capacity, making it one of the largest renewable developers in the country. Urban Grid, which will continue under the Urban Grid brand name as an independent power producer, boasts a strong development platform and a robust pipeline of advanced-stage renewable projects across key markets in the U.S. including the mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Southeast. It has nearly 2,000 megawatts of under construction or ready-to-build solar projects, with an additional 4,000 megawatts of de-risked advanced stage buildout opportunities.

06:37 EST MarketAxess increases cash dividend 4c to 70c per share - MarketAxess declared a 6% increase in the quarterly cash dividend to 70c per share of common stock outstanding, to be paid on February 23 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 9.

06:36 EST MediciNova receives Notice of Intention to grant for a new patent from EPO - MediciNova announced that it has received a Notice of Intention to Grant from the European Patent Office for a pending patent application which covers MN-001 and MN-002 for hepatic ballooning. Once issued, the patent maturing from this allowed patent application is expected to expire no earlier than January 2035. The allowed claims cover the use of MN-001 or MN-002 for inhibiting hepatic ballooning. The allowed claims cover oral administration, including tablets and capsules, as well as liquid dosage forms. The allowed claims cover a wide range of dosage strengths and dosing frequencies.

06:32 EST AT&T sees FY22 free cash flow in $23B range

06:29 EST AT&T reports Q4 WarnerMedia results - WarnerMedia: Total global HBO Max and HBO subscribers6 of 73.8 million, up 13.1 million year over year; domestic subscribers7 of 46.8 million, up 5.3 million for full year. Domestic HBO Max and HBO subscriber ARPU8 of $11.15 Total revenues up 15.4% in fourth quarter to $9.9 billion. Direct-to-Consumer subscription revenues up 11.5% in fourth quarter.

06:17 EST Clean Energy to build methane capture digester at Millenkamp Dairy in Idaho - Clean Energy (CLNE) will announce, during its RNG Day webcast, that it has signed an agreement to construct a methane capture digester at Millenkamp Dairy in Jerome, Idaho, one of the largest dairy farms in the U.S. The project is expected to provide an anticipated five million gallons of very low carbon-intensity RNG annually which will flow into Clean Energy's fueling network. The Millenkamp project will be developed through Clean Energy's joint venture with BP (BP).

06:12 EST Li-Cycle forms joint venture for lithium-ion battery facility in Norway - Li-Cycle has formed a joint venture with Eco Stor and Morrow Batteries. Li-Cycle will be the majority owner of the joint venture, with Eco Stor and Morrow being minority owners and Nordic-headquartered strategic partners. Through this vehicle, Li-Cycle will construct a new commercial lithium-ion battery recycling facility in southern Norway. Norway is on the path of phasing out sales of new internal combustion engine vehicles by April 2022. Once constructed, the Norwegian Spoke will be Li-Cycle's first recycling facility outside of North America and is expected to have the capacity to process up to 10,000 tons of lithium-ion batteries per year. The facility is expected to be operational in early 2023. The initiative brings Li-Cycle's total expected global recycling capacity to 40,000 tons of lithium-ion battery input per year. Eco Stor will provide the joint venture with end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, along with Morrow providing lithium-ion battery manufacturing scrap from its planned battery manufacturing facilities in Norway. Li-Cycle will provide equipment, technology, technical services, and operational management for the Spoke facility, while having the right to acquire 100% of the facility's production of black mass. Construction and commissioning of the Spoke remains subject to receipt of all necessary Norwegian regulatory approvals.

06:09 EST Energous 1W WattUp PowerBridge receives regulatory approval in Canada - Energous announced that its 1W WattUp PowerBridge transmitter has received regulatory approval from the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, the country's technology regulatory body, for RF-based power transfer at any distance. The approval in Canada follows similar recent 1W WattUp PowerBridge approvals in the U.S., Europe and India, and expands Energous' reach of its growing global ecosystem of wireless power transfer technology ideal for IoT deployments in markets such as retail, industrial and medical.

06:06 EST Anthem sees FY22 medical membership 45.6M-46.2M - For FY22: Risk-based membership is expected to be in the range of 19.5M-19.9M. Fee-based membership is expected to be in the range of 26.1M-26.3M. Benefit expense ratio is expected to be in the range of 88.0% plus or minus 50 basis points. Operating cash flow is expected to be greater than $6.9B. Effective tax rate is expected to be between 22.0%-24.0%.

05:59 EST Tesla CEO Elon Musk says latest Cybertruck prototype is 'awesome' - Tesla CEO Elon Musk said via Twitter: "Been driving latest Cybertruck prototype around Giga Texas. It's awesome!" Reference Link

05:44 EST Gatos Silver says Los Gatos Project report overestimated model by 30%-50% - Gatos Silver last night provided an update on the resource and reserve estimation process following recent reconciliation work at its Cerro Los Gatos mine. During the company's resource and reserve update process for the Los Gatos Joint Venture, Gatos concluded that there were errors in the technical report entitled "Los Gatos Project, Chihuahua, Mexico" with an effective date of July 1, 2020, as well as indications that there is an overestimation in the existing resource model. On a preliminary basis, the company estimates a potential reduction of the metal content of CLG's mineral reserve ranging from 30% to 50% of the metal content remaining after depletion. Since the 2020 Technical Report, depletion is 1.3 million tonnes grading 284 g/t silver, 3.9% zinc, 2.3% lead and 0.3 g/t gold that has been processed from July 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021. At this time, the company "cannot accurately quantify the exact magnitude of the reduction, and the mineral resource and reserve estimates in the 2020 Technical Report should not be relied upon."

05:26 EST Danimer Scientific signs memorandum of understanding with Hyundai Oilbank - Danimer Scientific announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hyundai Oilbank, the oil refinery unit of Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings, to jointly develop global new market opportunities and applications for polyhydroxyalkanoate, or PHA, a sustainable biopolymer that serves as a biodegradable alternative to traditional plastic. The near-term focus of this collaboration is on providing Nodax, Danimer's signature PHA, and other PHA-based compounds produced by Danimer to commercial customers in South Korea and other Asian markets for sustainable single-use packaging and other applications. Over time, the companies aim to drive global growth opportunities for PHA manufacturing.

05:18 EST Citi to refurbish EMEA headquarters in London - Citi announced its intent to transform its London headquarters, home to its UK and EMEA operations. The refurbishment of the Citi Tower in Canary Wharf will create a workplace for the future.

05:12 EST JinkoSolar subsidiary begins trading on Shanghai Stock Exchange - JinkoSolar announced that the company's principal operating subsidiary, Jiangxi Jinko, has completed its initial public offering, or IPO, process and started trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's Sci-Tech innovation board.